Thunderbolts Line-Up: Why Hawkeye Is the Clear Leader

After DC’s Suicide Squad became a household name thanks to two blockbusters, Marvel Studios will soon release its take on a team made up of villains. Come 2024, Marvel’s Thunderbolts will crash into theaters, giving fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe one of the franchise’s most unique pictures yet. While most can probably guess as to the team’s roster—from Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) to Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen)—it has yet to be seen who will lead the team. Our thoughts? Make it Clint Barton.

Barton’s (Jeremy Renner) story came full circle by burning his Ronin suit at the end of Hawkeye, and Belova failed to killed him as the two ended up bonding over the loss of Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff. Now, Barton is likely to come toe-to-toe with Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and face the consequences for his actions as Ronin on a legal basis. What better way than to make him lead this team of misfits?

He’s still one of the few members of the Avengers left alive, which means he has the most “superhero” experience out of anyone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Furhtermore, Renner’s a name that would certainly be a box office draw for a franchise new to the MCU, top billing and all.

On top of that, Marvel Comics just released the debut issue to a new Thunderbolts series from Jim Zub and Sean Izaakse. The leader in the new run? You guessed it, Clint Barton.

While others might think a character like Abomination (Tim Roth) could be a leader for the team, the events of She-Hulk have shown us the gamma-fueled monster has left his days of villainy behind—and someone like Daniel Brühl’s Baron Zemo is likely too much of a risk. In-universe, Barton is a safe choice and there are plenty of reasons why the character should be brought back to the franchise.

Thunderbolts is set for release on July 26, 2024.

What characters would you like to see take part in Marvel’s Thunderbolts flick? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!